As Robert Gasser proves to be inconsistent, Coleman Crow’s dominant Triple-A stretch demands attention from the Milwaukee Brewers front office.
The Milwaukee Brewers decided to move Shane Drohan to the bullpen for a brief stint, but now he's scheduled to pitch in the Little League Classic on Sunday, Aug. 23.
Robert Gasser nearly blew an early 6-0 lead for the Brewers, and that's something that simply can't happen.
Milwaukee already demoted Brandon Sproat earlier this year, and Coleman Crow is someone who was a mainstay in the big leagues until he got hurt.
Recently, Crow has been on fire at Triple-A Nashville. In his last six starts, he's given up just four earned runs in 36.1 innings pitched.
Knowing Gasser just gave up four earned runs in less than four innings, manager Pat Murphy and Co. have a serious conversation staring them in the face.
Should Crow get a chance to replace Gasser?
When breaking down Crow's last few starts, there's a clear case to be made that he's ready to return to the big-league rotation, or at least serve as a long-relief arm.
Crow hasn't given up a run in each of his last three starts, and it's worth noting all three have gone at least six innings.
He may have given up four earned runs from July 25-31, but those are the only ones he's given up since this six-game sample size began on July 19.
In this stretch, Crow has gone at least 5.2 innings in those starts. He's never given up more than six hits in an appearance, and his Triple-A ERA now sits at 3.13 with an incredible 8-1 record.
Brewers have a few great options to choose from
It doesn't seem like Murphy or the Brewers are too keen on bringing Sproat back to the big leagues this season, so that begs the question: What are they going to do with Crow?
The 25-year-old was 0-1 in his 18.2 innings in the majors, and while he had an ERA of 5.30, that's still pretty solid knowing Gasser's is up to 4.79.
In an ideal world, the Brewers postseason rotation looks like this: Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, Logan Henderson, and Dustin May.
There's no real need to have Gasser in the starting rotation, but will they trust him enough to eat some of those middle innings, especially knowing JoJo Romero is nearing his team debut and Antonio Senzatela has been settling in?
Finding a spot for Gasser, let alone Drohan, Gasser, and Drohan, is a bit tricky. For now, though, it seems smart to keep letting Crow do his thing with the Nashville Sounds, and it's clear he's ready, should his name ever be called upon again this season.
